Editing subtitles is an increasingly common part of video and film production. Subtitles help viewers understand content across a wide range of devices, particularly when watching on the move or in noisy environments. Adding subtitles to any video or film benefits audiences across all platforms.
Subtitles help your viewers
Editing subtitles onto your video makes it accessible to a far wider audience. Some viewers prefer to read text rather than listen to spoken words, particularly those with impaired hearing. Many people also watch video content with the sound off when multitasking or in busy environments. Subtitled video performs well on social media platforms like Twitter, where viewers scroll through content without audio. Editing subtitles also helps communicate your message clearly to viewers who find spoken words difficult to follow.
Before editing subtitles onto any video, establish the precise requirements with your client. Clarifying everything upfront avoids time-consuming amendments later. Ideally, the client supplies the text already formatted as they wish it to appear.
Font style and licensing
The primary goal of editing subtitles is to make text easy to read. Your client may have a house-style font they require you to use. Brand guidelines from the client or producer should clarify which font to apply. If you have a free choice, best practice is to use sans-serif fonts for subtitles. Sans-serif fonts have no extended line features, which makes them cleaner and easier to read on screen. If you do not have the required font installed, you may need to purchase it. Always ensure any font carries the correct licence for use, as fonts are subject to copyright.
Font colour and shading
Personally, I prefer white text. It stands out more clearly than coloured alternatives and has a classic, clean look. Depending on the footage underneath, you may need to add a fine black border or a soft black edge to keep the text legible as shots change. Consider the full range of shots in the video before settling on a style. Your subtitle text needs to work across dark shots, bright shots, and even white backgrounds.
Highlighting onscreen text
Several options exist for making subtitle text readable against varied backgrounds. A soft surround or black outline edge works well for most productions. A high-contrast solid black box, added as a transparency layer behind the text, is another effective choice. Adjust the transparency of this layer until it sits well with your footage. Play the layer across a range of different shots to check it works throughout. For branded productions or more stylised content, colour blocks behind the text may suit better.
Kerning and vertical spacing
Different fonts have different natural spacing between characters. Some fonts type out perfectly aligned straight away. Others need considerable kerning adjustments to make the spacing between characters look correct. When creating multiple lines of text, also consider the vertical spacing between lines. Tightening the line spacing often looks more visually pleasing, particularly when working with larger font sizes.
Selecting the correct font size
Think carefully about all the ways your video will be viewed. Knowing the intended screen sizes helps you edit subtitles at the right size for each delivery format. A video destined for a cinema screen needs a considerably smaller font than one for social media or YouTube, simply because the physical screen is so much larger. You may need to produce separate subtitle versions for different screen sizes.
Grammar when editing subtitles
Ask your client to supply subtitle text in a Word document, already proofread for spelling and grammatical accuracy. Running your own spell check before you begin is also worthwhile. Editing in the UK presents a particular challenge, as most software defaults to American spellings. Check this setting before starting work. Also confirm whether the production requires standard received grammar or something more informal, such as slang or non-standard language.
Punctuation
Check what level of punctuation the production requires before you begin editing subtitles. A growing number of producers now opt for no punctuation at all. A free-flowing text format can help viewers read subtitles more quickly, which works especially well for foreign language films.
Safe title zones and positioning
Safe title zones are more straightforward to manage than they once were. When old-style 4:3 CRT televisions were common, editors had to balance those screens against 16:9 formats. Today, most viewers watch on 16:9 LCD screens with less edge cut-off. For online, website, or YouTube delivery, you may bring text closer to the screen edge. For television or international co-production delivery, follow the specific guidelines provided by your delivery channel.
Proofreading and subtitle sign-off
Where possible, ask clients to supply signed-off, grammatically correct, and punctuated text before editing subtitles begins. Receiving approved text upfront saves considerable time and expense. Subsequent re-edits for textual changes add cost and delay. If I add subtitles directly from contributors’ spoken words, I ask the client to review and advise on any changes before completing the final edit.
There is a very helpful subtitle guidelines document produced by the BBC that covers subtitles for broadcast that you may like to read. If you have any questions or would like any help with editing subtitles, please get in touch via my website contact form.
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